HILLSVILLE — Carroll County investigators have issued a warning about a phone scam involving Social Security information.
Five citizens have been called by individuals identifying themselves as being with the Social Security Administration, said Kevin Kemp of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office. “They are asking these [potential victims] to verify their name, phone number and checking account number.”
The callers also have advised the citizens that, after verifying their personal information, the federal agency will assign them a new Medicare card.
Deputies want to make sure that anybody receiving such a call is cautious, Kemp said. Officials with the Social Security Administration have told deputies that they would not call people to verify their information.
“If it doesn’t sound right, hang up and call the Social Security Administration immediately and verify it’s not their agency calling,” the investigator said.
Kemp understands at least one citizen got their social security checks rerouted due to this scam.
He added that this scam appears to be nationwide.